


Breakfast in Bed

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Starting Over [18]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-18
Updated: 2012-06-18
Packaged: 2017-11-08 01:45:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/437755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This whole relationship was building, the three of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breakfast in Bed

**Author's Note:**

> I’m still taking baby steps with this couple because I have no idea what will happen next season and because I know that’s what Hotch would do.

Hotch rolled over on a sunny Sunday morning. The first thing that struck him, even as he tried to hold onto sleep, was the smell of cinnamon. Then he realized something was burning. All of sleep was gone as he jumped out of bed. On his feet, Hotch rushed into the living room.

“Jack? What's going on?”

“Dad, you have to get back in bed. We’re making you breakfast in bed.”

“What's going on?” Hotch asked again. He looked at his son and girlfriend. What was Beth doing there? What time was it? It seemed impossible that he’d slept through all of this.

“We’re not going to be able to eat that piece of French toast.” Beth smiled. “I'm just glad it didn’t set off the alarm. Good morning, Aaron.”

“Good morning. What…?”

“Dad, go back to bed.” this time Jack pointed to the bedroom. “You're messing things up.”

Hotch smirked and then smiled at his son. When he looked at Beth again she just nodded. He sighed and headed back to the bedroom. He had no idea what was going on but he would play along. The food smelled delicious. He’d have to wait until he was served to find out what was happening. Fifteen minutes later, the door pushed open and in came Beth and Jack. 

“Happy Father’s Day!” they exclaimed.

“I have to say I didn’t see this coming.” Hotch smiled.

“It’s a surprise Dad.” Jack jumped up on the bed with his father.

Beth came around the bed with a big tray. There was French toast, sausage, tea, and fruit salad. She put it down in front of Hotch and sat down on the bed too.

“Wow, this looks amazing.”

“Sorry I ruined the surprised with the burnt piece.” She gave him his first kiss of the morning.

“I was still pretty surprised. This is really great.”

“It was Jack’s idea.”

“Thanks buddy.”

“I wanted to do something for you Dad. You always make me breakfast so this time I wanted to make it for you. I put the powdered sugar on.”

“They look delicious. What are you guys going to eat?”

“This is for you.” Jack said.

“I think there’s definitely enough to share. C'mon, let’s eat it together.”

“I’ll get forks.”

With his usual speed and enthusiasm, Jack jumped down from the bed and ran from the room. Hotch looked at Beth.

“I can definitely say I'm surprised.”

“Jack said he wanted to surprise you. He called me Thursday afternoon after school with his plan.”

“He had a plan?” Hotch asked.

“Mmm hmm.” She nodded. “He was going to wake up really early on Sunday morning and I was going to come over to help him cook breakfast for Dad. He knew exactly what he wanted the menu to be and everything we would need. All I did was cook; this was all Jack.”

“I've got a great kid.”

“Yes you do.”

“I'm back.” Jack didn’t run into the room with the forks because he knew better. Climbing back on the bed, he handed one to Beth and kept one for himself. 

“I brought your gift too Dad.”

“This isn’t my gift?” Hotch asked.

“No, its just breakfast.” Jack shook his head and smiled. “You eat first, OK?”

“OK.” Hotch cut a slice of French toast and tasted it. “Oh wow, wow this is so good.”

“Really?” Beth asked.

“I think it might be the best French toast I ever had. You guys have to taste this…you're going to love it.”

They were content having breakfast together, talking and laughing. Hotch couldn’t take his eyes off Beth. She laughed and joked around with Jack. He loved how good she was to his son. He loved that Jack loved it too. 

Their blossoming relationship was something he wanted to encourage and nurture. His not being there all the time meant there were gaps in the time they spent together. It surprised him that Jessie and Sam welcomed Beth into the fold as well. She was spending some time with Jack when he was there with them and Hotch was on the road. This whole relationship was building, the three of them. 

It wasn’t just Hotch and Beth getting closer as a couple. Hotch, Beth, and Jack might become a family. Seven months surely wasn’t enough time to gauge if this was going to happen as everyone wanted it to. But she hadn't run yet. Hotch was pleased about that. 

Seeing Jack take initiative in spending time with her was something that surprised him but also made him happy. His son was a go-getter. When he wanted something he worked hard and achieved it. It was becoming clearer to Hotch that Jack wanted Beth in his life; in their lives. What he’d done this morning showed him that more than anything else.

“You’ve got a funny look on your face.” Jack poked his father.

“Do I?” Hotch came out of his thoughts.

“He does, doesn’t he Beth?”

“He definitely does. Are you alright? You like breakfast, right?”

“Oh, I love breakfast.” Hotch smiled and it was genuine. “I've had a lot of good breakfasts in my time but this is probably one of the best. I don’t know how I'm going to thank you guys.”

“You don’t have to.” Jack said. “It’s Father’s Day so we’re supposed to do all the nice stuff for you. Cuz you're the best dad ever. Right Beth?”

“That’s right, kiddo. You're a very, very lucky little boy.”

“I know.” Jack smiled and ate more French toast. “What about your Dad, Beth? Did you make him breakfast on Father’s Day?”

“We did it every year. He would be so happy when we’d come in with the tray and all those gifts. He was always there for us and for just that one day we let him do whatever he wanted. That usually meant a baseball game and a big hot dog. It was a lot of fun.”

“Are you taking him to a baseball game today?”

“Well he went to heaven about a year ago.”

“My mom is there.” Jack said.

Hotch wanted to interject, they didn’t need to talk about that right now. Something in his gut told him not to and he decided to listen. They were talking; they needed to talk. He wasn’t sure where this conversation was going but he would pay attention.

“I know. I bet she and my dad are good friends.”

“Dad said she’s always looking out for us. Is your dad still looking out for you?”

“Every single day.” Beth smiled and held back the tears as she thought about him. “I miss him but I know he's in a better place. And when I want to remember how awesome he was, I just look at you guys.”

“Why?” Jack asked.

“You have a great dad so it brings back memories of my great dad. That makes me happy.”

“I'm glad.”

“I'm glad too. Gimme a kiss.”

Jack was smiling again as he leaned over and gave her a kiss. Then he gave one to his dad just to be fair.

“Now you give one to Beth, Dad!” he exclaimed.

Beth puckered up and Hotch laughed. He leaned over the breakfast tray and gave her a kiss. He liked it so much he did it again. Then Jack was really smiling.

“Can we have orange juice?” he asked.

“I’ll get it.” Beth said. “You were kind enough to get us forks. You give dad his present and I’ll get the juice.”

“OK.”

Beth got up off the bed as Jack handed his dad the small gift. Hotch shook it, knowing it would make his son giggle. Some things about Jack were still easy.

“Do I have to guess what it is or are you gonna tell me?” he asked.

“Open it!”

“OK, let’s see what this is.”

Hotch tore off the paper and could only smile when he saw it. It was a picture of the three of them at JJ and Will’s wedding. The photographer had taken so many pictures that day and as a gift they all received small photo albums. Hotch kept his on the bookshelf. 

He hadn't really looked at it since the day it was given to him. One thing he did know was that this picture hadn't been in there. Wherever Jack got it he put it in a ceramic picture frame that it looked as if he’d painted himself. It was dark blue and gold, the colors of the FBI.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it Jack. It’s the best present I could’ve asked for.”

“I can tell from the smile on your face that you like your gift.” Beth said as she came back in the room. She put her cup of juice on the nightstand and handed Jack his.

“Where did you get this picture from?” he asked.

“I called JJ a couple of weeks ago and asked her for it. I knew there were some taken of us and thought it would be nice for you to have one.”

“This is amazing. I don’t know how to thank you guys for this. I've had an awesome breakfast and a wonderful gift. Being a dad is a great thing.”

“We’re gonna spend the day together, right Dad?” Jack asked.

“What did you have in mind, buddy?”

“Whatever you want to do.”

“I would love the park for some baseball. What do you say?”

“Yeah!” that seemed like a good idea to Jack. “I need to go get ready.”

He jumped off the bed and ran to the door.

“Wait a minute Jack, don’t you wanna finish breakfast?” Beth asked.

“I'm all full. I’ll go get ready while you kiss.”

“Jack…”

His father tried to stop him but he was already gone. Hotch looked at Beth and she just laughed. The remaining French toast was still warm and she was hungry. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of her labor. She picked up the fork and did just that.

“I don’t even know what to say.” Hotch said.

“Speechlessness is good.”

“You handled the questions about your dad really well. I was going to interrupt, Jack is seven and says what's on his mind but…you handled it.”

“I have a good amount of experience with kids. If they want to know they ask. It’s why even though I was a little surprised when Jack called me with his idea I rolled with the punches.”

“I can't believe he did this. Did he paint this frame himself?”

“Yeah.” Beth nodded. “I bought it from a craft store but he did the work. It was important that he do as much as he could by himself since he couldn’t cook and all.”

“I'm just wondering what other surprises you guys can come up with behind my back.” Hotch said.

“I'm so awful with surprises.” She laughed. “Jack is a bit of a mastermind but I can't keep a straight face.” Beth stood and took the tray. “I’ll clean this up. If Jack is getting ready I think you probably should too.”

“Wait…” Hotch reached out to stop her from leaving. He got out of the bed, took the tray from her hands and put it down. “He did give us just a little bit of time to…”

“Aaron Hotchner, are you trying to seduce me?”

“You know I need to take my time for something like that.” he wrapped his arms around her. “But I plan to kiss you. I plan to kiss you breathless and then kiss you again.”

“And yet you're still talking.”

Smiling, Hotch teased her lips with his. He gave her Eskimo kisses and smiled when Beth gripped his tee shirt tighter. Their fourth kiss of the morning definitely left her breathless. She held on and the dizziness passed. Then they were kissing again. They were both hungry for each other; seemed like forever since they just indulged in this kind of passion.

“I think I got two really amazing gifts today.” He whispered, kissing her once more.

Beth had a present for him but she would wait until later to give it to him. Today was about being a dad and she wanted Jack to take the spotlight. There would be plenty of time for a little personal attention for them both. Grownup time was awesome but breakfast in bed with a kid was pretty cool too.

“I'm sure there's more to come.” she replied.

“I thought you were awful with surprises.” When he grinned, Hotch’s dimples were in full view.

“I am. Don’t worry, we’ll have a wonderful Father’s Day with Jack and then Daddy will get some very special attention.”

“I…wow.”

They both laughed. Beth kissed him before slipping out of his arms and taking the tray again.

“You get in the shower and I’ll do the dishes. Happy Father’s Day, Aaron.”

“Thanks…for all of this.”

She left and Hotch stood in the middle of his bedroom floor smiling like an idiot. Some of the reason for that was thinking about alone time later with Beth. Some of it was because Jack was looking forward to spending the day with the both of them. Hotch was also falling in love. He tried to slow it down but the train didn’t often do that once it got rolling on the track. 

He was going to remain reasonable, sensible, his normal self, but today he also wanted to indulge those feelings. He wanted to hold Beth’s hand, kiss her, be close, and share time with his son. He wanted to feel the way her fingers danced across his back or say things just to make her smile. These feelings weren't new but they were almost foreign. 

It had been such a long time and it was time for a change. Life worked on its own timeline. Hotch was pretty sure that his was turning around for the better. It had been for a while but today would definitely be his day in more ways than one.

***


End file.
